Sewage control for moving vehicles



March 4, 1930. o. A. ROSS SEWAGE CONTROL FOR MOVING VEHICLES Filed Aug.9. 192a lNVEINTO-Fx Patented Mar. 4, 1930 {UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEOSCAR A; BOSS, or NEW YORK, n. Y.

SEWAGE CONTROL FOB, MOVING VEHICLES Application fiian uste, 1928. Seria11 To..298,448.

The prime object of this invention is to provlde for preventingevacuation of waste from Y a toilet fixture supported by a passengercoach or similar vehicle forming part of a ,10 train which may bestopping at a railwaystat1on,'or, is traveling at a slow rate of motion,

either approaching o-r leaving'said station. Another object is tofurnish novel means of control for preventing the evacuation'of a .15toilet fixture when a railway train is opera;

ting. below predetermined speed or is com pletely at rest for storage.Another object is; to furni for preventing the .flushing'of a toiletunder certain conditions of reduced speed, or complete stoppage, of arailway train, or similar vehicle.

Other objects and as the description of the invention progresses,

, and the novel feature of the invention will be ,pointed out in theappended claims.

This invention consists in the novel construction and arrangementofpartshereinafter described, delineated in the accompanying drawings,andparticularly pointed out in that portion of this instrument wherein patjentable novelty is'claimed for certain andpeculiar features of theapparatus, it being unj derstood that, within the scope of whathereinafter thus isclaimed, divers changes in the form, proportions,size and minor details of the structure maybe made without departingfrom the spiritof, or sacrificing any of thedetails of the invention.

* i In describing the invention indetail, reference ishad to theaccompanyingdrawings, I

wherein I have illustrated embodiments of my invention, and, whereinlike characters of reference, designate corresponding parts throughoutthe-several views, and in which Figure 1, is a plan View of oneembodiment ,7

.ofthe invention taken on line 11 of Fig. 2

and, Fig. 2, is a plan view. of the same taken on line 2+2 of Fig. 1,and, Fig. 8, is a plan view of raj-modified fornrof the invention shnovel means advantages will appear taken online 3 3 of Fig. 4c, and,Fig. 4, is" I on line 55 of Fig. 6, and, 6, is a plan view of thesame'taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and, Fig. 7, is a sectional view ofpart of the control apparatus taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 8, and Fig. 8,is part plan, part sectional View of the-same taken on line 88 of Fig. 7and, Fig. 9, is a sectional view of a modified form of the same controlapparatus taken 1 in part online 99 of Fig. 7, and, Fig. 10, is aplanview of a modified form of control apparatus, and Fig. 11, is-a planview of still another modified form of control apparatus. Referring toFigs. 1, and 2, the toilet fixture 1, in-toilet room 2, o-f'passengercoach 3, is arranged to be flushed by'depression of handle '41 formingpart of lever. 5, pivoted on pin 6,, and the extension 7 of which isarranged to control the discharge of sewage from toilet 1, as Well ascontrol the supply of water thereto, for the flushing thereof.Controlling" extension 7 of lever 5 is'control unit 8, more fullyhereinafterdescribed, arranged to be actuated by a partialvacuumproduced in pipe or conduit 9 by venturi 10 secured exteriorly 'tothe roof 11 o-f coach 1 when said coach is traveling in excess of apredetermined mini mum speed ineither direction.

Referringto Figs. 3 and 4, showing a modified form of control forlever-"5, of toilet 1, control unit 15,'m"or'e fullyhereinafterdescribed, is arranged to prevent flushing of toilet 1, by lever 5 bythe following apparatus. Cam bar lfi comprises one portionpassingthrough-control unit 15 for effecting I operation thereof andanother portion pivot ally connected-to the free end of crank 17 securedto rod 18, operating in bearings .19 and 20, and supporting vane 21 theplan of which is normally restrained to assume a transverse positionwith relation to the longitudi I tached to the body of coach 3.

23,0ne end of which is secured to the freeend ,of said crank and theother end suitably atv liei'erringte i we staring still another modifiedform of control for lever 5, of toilet 1, control unit 25, more fullyhereinafter described, is arranged to prevent operation of lever 5 toflush toilet 1, by the following apparatus; generator 26 driven in knownmanner by car axle 34, normally supplies energy for lighting coach 3,and operating auxiliary apparatus therein, through conductors 27, 28 and29, said generator being effective to supply said energy only when saidcoach is travelling in excess of a predetermined minimum speed, thecontrol of said generator to supply said energy being elfected by switchboard, or control'panel 30, it being understood that when coach 3 istraveling in excess of a predetermined minimum speed the generator 26 isrendered effective to energize control unit 25, through conductors 31and 32 and when said coach is traveling at less than said minimum speedsaid generator is ineffective to supply said energy to both of saidcontrol units, said locking unit comprises housing 41, having slots 4242arranged to receive extension 7 of lever 5,

also bosses 43-43 supporting shaft 44 pivotedon which is hell crank 45to the bifurcated extension 46 of which is pivotally secured by pin 47,the rod 48, operating in boss 49, of control unit 8 only, the rod 50operating in a similar boss in the control unit 25 only.

Bell crank 45 also has locking extension 51, having locking head 52arranged to be moved over extension 7 of lever 5 whereby said lever 7cannot be operated to flush the toilet.

toilet 1 tobe flushed.

Also formed on bell crank 45 is lug 53 extending into recess 54'of keyhole boss 55 having key hole 56, and through which key 57 may beinserted, and when turned, will depress lug 53 thereby moving lockinghead 52 away from extension 7 of lever 5, whereby said lever may beoperated to flush toilet 1.

vacuum therein generated by Venturi unit 10 will be communicated tocylinder 62 thereby raising piston 61 and rod 48 whereby bell crank 45is rotated counter-clockwise to remove locking head 52 from the path ofexteir sion 7 of lever 5, in this manner permitting A suitable vent 65supplies air to the under side of piston 61 to compensate for leakage ofair therepast and displacement due to the rise of said piston.

Referring to Fig. 8, showing control unit 25, to the upper end of shaft50, is secured magnet core operating in magnet 71 secured in combinedmagnet housing and magnetic yoke 72 secured to housing 41 of unit 40.When magnet 71 is energized, as will be more fully hereinafterdescribed, magnet core 70 and likewise rod 50 is moved upwardly therebysimultaneously rotating bell crank counter-clockwise to permit operationof lever 5.

Referring to Fig. 9,-showing control unit 15, the modified lockinghousing 7 5 is formed with bosses 76-76 having rectangular orifices 7 777 through which cam bar 16, (Figs. 3 and 4) is arranged to reciprocate,saidbar having a lower cam face 78, inclined cam faces 7 979 andelevated cam faces 8080.

When a car as 3, is at rest, and vane 21, (Figs. 3 and 4) istransversely positioned as shown, bar 16 is positioned as shown by Fig.9, the bifurcated extension 47 of bell crank 45 resting on recessed camface 78, in this manner restraining locking head 52 (not shown) to liein the path of extension 7 of lever 5 whereby toilet 1 cannot be flushedthereby.

When said car 3 has accelerated to a predetermined speed vane 21, actedupon by the air current passingover the roof of said car, will bedeflected thereby causing rotation of rod 18 and longitudinal movementof bar 16, said longitudinal movement depending upon which directionsaid caris traveling, in either event the inclined cam face 79 willelevate extension 47 of bell crank 45 and locking head 52 will beremoved from the path of extension. 7 whereby lever 5 may be operated toflush toilet 1;

Housings 41 and 75 are formed with suitable lugs, as 85, for suitablysecuring control units, as 8, 15 and 25, to the body of coach 3.

, Referring to Fig. 10, showing a modified form of control for toiletfixture 1, the valve 86 is arranged in the water supply line forflushing toilet 1, and is normally closed. Lever 87, pivoted on pin 88,has one extension 89 arranged to depress valve stem 90 and open saidvalve, and another extension 91 pivoted to rod 92 which may form anextension of rods 48 or 50 in this manner eliminatingthe use of unit 40where flow of water is required for sewage evacuation, as operation oflever 5 1f actuated, cannot supply water to flush toilet 1 unless valve86 is open.

96, having discharge'end 97, pivoted to which is lever 98, pivoted onpin 99, arranged to raise said elbow 96, by means of rod 92, to the ofis lowered for'discharge thereof. As d'e-- scribed in connection withFig. 10, rod 92 may be an extension of rods 48 or 50 whereby thedischarge end 97 of elbow 96 will only normally discharge when car 3 istraveling in excess of a predetermined minimum'spe'ed.

lVhereas car 3 has been shown as a railway coach, or pullnian sl s Itmay be some other form of conveyance arranged to travel on pavedroadways.

'From the foregoing desfcrlption it will be apparent that applicant hasdisclosed appa ratus for preventing the discharge ofsewage or otherwaste matter from toilet fixtures supported by moving. conveyancesunless said conveyance is traveling in excess of a prescribed minimumrate of travel and whereas the novel form of control has been shown asapplied to a toilet fixture, or bowl, it maybe equally well adapted towash basin fixtures or urinals.

What I claim is 1. In combination with a passenger vehicle having acomfort station thereon, the station having one or more toilet fixturesarranged to discharge sewage to the exterior of the vehicle, of meanscontrolled by the rate of travel of the vehicle for controlling thedischarge of the sewage from the fixtures to the exterior of thevehicle, and key operated means arranged to be operated at will forannulling the rate of control means whereby the sewage may be dischargedat anytime.

2. In combination with a passenger vehicle having a comfortstationthereon, the station I having one or more toilet fixturesarranged to discharge sewage to the QXtGIlQI of the vehicle, of meanscontrolling the discharge of the sewage from the fixtures to the ex-]terior of the vehicle normally positioned to prevent dischargetherefrom, means contro1- ling the discharge means affected by a predetermined increase in the rate of travel of the vehicle for renderingthe discharge control means eiiectiveto discharge the sewage, and keyoperated means arranged to be actuated at will for annulling the controlof the discharge means by the rate of control means whereby the sewagemay be discharged at any time.

In combination with a passenger vehicle having a comfort stationthereon, the station having one or more toilet fixtures arranged todischarge sewage to the exterior of the Vehicle, of means controllingthe discharge of the sewage from the fixtures to the exterior of thevehicle normally'positioned to prevent discharge therefrom, meanscontrolling the discharge means afiected by the rate of travelthe sewagemay be dischargedat any time.

ofthe vehicle for rendering the discharge so discharge whenthe vehicleis traveling below the predetermined rate, and key operated meansarranged tobe actuated at will for annulhng the control of the dischargemeans by the rate of control means whereby 4. In combination with arailway car. having a walled room containing a. toilet, the

toileth'aving a lever pivotally supported by the walled structure foreffecting a flushing of the'toilet, of a locking device supported by'thewalled structure-normally arranged to lockingly engage the levertopreventoperation thereof to flush the toilet, and means controlled bythe rate of travel of the car for effecting an unlocked position of thedevice upon a predetermined increase in the .rateof travelthereofwhereby the lever may be rendered operative'to flush the toilet.

5. In combination with a railway car havingawalled roomcont a-iningatoilet, theg toilet having alever pivotally' supported by the wallstructure for eifecting a flushing of the toilet, of a locking devicesupported by the walled structure normally arranged to .lockingly engagethe lever to prevent opera tion thereof to'flush thetoilet, meanscontrolled bytherate of travel of the car for effecting an unlockedposition ofjthe device upon a predetermined increase 'in therate oftravel thereof whereby. the toilet may be.

flushed, and key operated means for manually unlocking the devicewhereby the toilet may be flushed independently of the rate of travelcontrol means.

6. In combination with a railway car hav-- ing" a walled room containinga toilet, the toilet having a pivotallysupported lever for effecting aflushing of the toilet,-ofa locking 7 device having-a housing arrangedto encompass one extension of the lever,-locking means. supportedby thehousing normally elfecting a locked position of the extension wherebythe toilet cannot be flushed, and; means controlled by the rate oftravel of the car rendered effective by a predetermined in-- crease inthe rate of travel thereof for eftecting an unlocked position of thelocking means whereby the toilet may beflushed.

- 7. In combination with a railway car having a toilet fixture arrangedto be flushed? for discharge of sewage'therefroin, of means for flushingthe toilet, a locking device normally arranged to ,lockingly engage theflushing means and prevent the flushing of the toilet, means controlledby the rate of;

travel of the carrend'ered effective by a predetermined increase in therate of travel thereof for unlocking the device whereby the fiushingmeans may be actuated toflush the toilet, means suppo'rtedby:thedevicear ;..130

ranged to insertingly receive a key member, and means operated by thekey member after insertion for unlocking the device whereby the toiletmay be flushed independently of 5 the rate of travel control means.

8'. In combination with a passenger vehicle having a toilet fixturearranged to be flushed for discharge of sewage therefrom, of means forflushing the toilet to discharge the sewage, locking means normallyarranged to lock the flushing means and prevent flushing of the toiletand air pressure controlled means rendered effective by a predeterminedincrease in the rate of travel of the vehicle through the atmosphere forunlocking the locking means whereby the toilet may be flushed.

9. In combination with a passenger vehicle having a toilet fixturearranged to be flushed for discharge of sewage therefrom,

of means controlled by the air pressure established'by the movement ofthe vehicle through the atmosphere for preventing flushing of the toiletduring comparatively low speeds of movement thereof and permittingflushing of the toilet during relatively high speeds thereof.

10. In combination with a railway car having a toilet, the toilet havinga pivotally supported lever for effecting the flushing thereof, of alocking mechanism normally arranged to lock the lever whereby the toiletcannot be flushed, and means rendered effective by a predeterminedincrease in the rate of travel of the car for unlocking the mechanismwhereby the lever will be rendered operative to flush the toilet.-

11. In combination with a railway car having a toilet, the toilet havinga pivotally supported lever for effecting the flushing thereof, of alocking mechanism normally arranged to lock one extension of the leveragainst movement whereby the toilet cannot be flushed, and meansrendered effective by a predetermined increase in the rate of travel'ofthe car for rendering the mechanism ineffective to lock the leverextension whereby the toilet may be flushed at any time thereafter.

12. In combination with a railway car having a toilet arranged to beflushed for the ejection of sewage therefrom, of means for flushing thetoilet, a control unit therefor comprising, a housing, a controlmechanism supported therewithin against molestation arranged to normallyprevent flushing of the toilet, means rendered effectivev by apredeterm-ined increase in the rate of travel of the.

car for annulling the control of the flushing means by the control unitwhereby the toilet may be flushed by the flushing. means, and a keymember arranged to be inserted n the it for annulling the con rol; of

the flushing meansby he. @Qntrol mQQhanism whereby the toilet may beflushedby the flushing means at any time. I

13. In combination with a railway carhaving a toilet arranged to beflushed for ejection of sewage therefrom, of means for flushing thetoilet, a control unit therefor comprising, a housing, a controlmechanism supported therewithin normally arrangedto prevent operation ofthe flushing means, a second housing arranged in juxtaposition to thefirst named housing, actuating means supported therewithin arranged inoperative connection with the control mechanism, and means'renderedefiective by a predetermined increase in the rate of travel of the carfor rendering the actuating means. effective to annul the control of theflushing means by the mechanism whereby the toilet may be flushed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

OSCAR A. ROSS.

